Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Crypto assets complicate divorce proceedings. One spouse may have hidden crypto; the exchange account may be in one person's name with community funds; or the exchange has frozen the account during the dispute. We help trace, value, and resolve crypto asset issues in divorce — working alongside your family law counsel.
Crypto assets are uniquely challenging in divorce proceedings because they are easy to hide, difficult to value, and may be held in accounts registered to only one spouse. Traditional family law counsel may not understand crypto — and may miss assets that are stored on exchanges, in hardware wallets, or in self-custody.
We work alongside your family law counsel — we do not replace them. Our role is to handle the crypto-specific aspects: tracing, valuation, and exchange coordination.
If you suspect your spouse has undisclosed crypto, we can trace blockchain transactions to identify wallets and exchange accounts. We use the same blockchain forensics tools we use in fraud cases. We also analyze bank statements for exchange deposits, search for exchange-related emails, and review tax filings for crypto activity.
Crypto valuation for divorce requires determining the value of the assets at the relevant date (date of separation, date of filing, or another date specified by your jurisdiction's family law). We provide court-ready valuation reports using historical price data from multiple sources.
If an exchange has frozen an account due to a divorce dispute, we can: (1) request that the exchange maintain the freeze until the divorce is resolved (preventing one spouse from draining the account), (2) coordinate the transfer of funds to a court-appointed neutral account, or (3) facilitate the transfer to one spouse as ordered by the court.
We prepare forensic reports and legal declarations that are admissible in family court. Our reports include blockchain transaction analysis, wallet identification, valuation calculations, and source-of-funds documentation. We can also testify as expert witnesses if needed.
We are crypto legal specialists, not family law attorneys. We work in coordination with your family law counsel, who handles the divorce proceedings, asset division, and court filings. We provide the crypto expertise that most family law attorneys do not have. If you do not have family law counsel, we can recommend attorneys in your jurisdiction who understand crypto issues.
We can conduct a forensic investigation to identify potential crypto holdings. This includes analyzing bank statements for exchange deposits, reviewing email and device data for exchange registrations, and tracing known wallet addresses on the blockchain. We cannot guarantee we will find hidden crypto — if it is stored in a self-custody wallet with no connection to any known address, it may be untraceable. But most people leave traces, and we find them in the majority of cases.
This is a family law question that depends on your jurisdiction. In community property jurisdictions (e.g., California, Texas, France, Germany), assets acquired during the marriage are generally community property regardless of whose name they are in. We provide the evidentiary support — proving that community funds were used to purchase the crypto — and your family law counsel makes the legal argument.
We typically recommend keeping the freeze in place during divorce proceedings to prevent one spouse from draining the account. Once the court issues an order for asset division, we can facilitate the transfer as directed by the court. If you need funds for living expenses during the divorce, we can request a partial release based on a court order.
Yes. We provide historical valuation reports using price data from major exchanges and indices. The valuation can be calculated for any specific date — date of separation, date of filing, or date of hearing. We provide a methodology report that is admissible in family court.
We work in coordination with your family law attorney. They handle the divorce proceedings, court filings, and overall legal strategy. We handle the crypto-specific aspects: tracing, valuation, exchange coordination, and expert testimony. We communicate directly with your family law attorney and provide them with the documentation they need for court filings.
Related resources: For proving the origin of crypto assets during division, see our source-of-funds practice. For jurisdiction-specific rules on asset disclosure in divorce proceedings, see our AML laws by country reference. See all complex cases we handle.
All unusual situations we handle beyond standard compliance.
Jurisdiction-specific rules for asset disclosure in divorce proceedings.
Proving the origin of crypto assets during asset division.
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